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Essential Things You Need to Bring to V-Con 2012

We’re only a couple of weeks away from V-Indonesia 2012, and as early as now, we need to prepare. So we have come up with a list of things you have to bring on the day itself! After all, it’s going to be a long event, and it would only cause you a decent amount of regret, discomfort, and irritation if you forget something important, or something you wanted to bring. So here’s the list!

1. Money

“This V-Con, don’t come without money, because that’s moronic. Booths of QNET and The V are there with lots of merchandise. We’re also releasing new products that you don’t get to see anywhere else in the world. Come with your e-cards so you can buy online. Buy products that you can show to your downlines. Stuff you buy at V-Con will be shipped to you free of charge. This is a gift to you for flying to us from all across the world.” – VMD Pathman Senathirajah

Another thing to remember is this: Indonesia’s money changers are a bit picky with US dollar banknotes. The banknotes can’t be folded or torn or counterfeit! So, bring different foreign currencies, instead of only USD – just in case. As an alternative, you can withdraw money from Plus/Cirrus ATM. You can also bring credit cards and ATM cards for emergencies.

2. Camera

Every V-Con is an event worth remembering. It is both exciting and life-changing, so try to capture every great moment of it! You’ll cherish them for the years to come. So bring a camera with you, whether it’s one of those easy-to-carry digital camera or the high-end SLRs. Just remember to take very good care of them and keep them with you at all times! Camera phones will do, too, especially if the built-in cameras have high resolutions.
However, participants are encouraged not to pictures inside the auditorium, though you still CAN take pictures outside of it. Official photographers are in charge of taking photos inside the auditorium.

3. Snacks, energy bars, and energy drinks

You need the energy to stay focused and sharp. The V-Con is a five-day event with lots of activities. You’ll have tons to do and a lot of people to meet. They’re coming in from different parts of the world! This means meeting up with old friends and new, so you have to have as much energy as possible. You can buy food in Indonesia, unless you want to take some food from home sweet home with you.

4. Vitamins, multivitamin supplements, and medicine for emergencies

This is to supplement the food you’re going to take while there. You need the vitamins to keep sickness at bay and be as healthy as possible. You will join in on five days of fun, learning, and the strongest emotions of your life. Naturally, you will be tired. With the late night sessions and early morning openings, you won’t be getting enough sleep and you will be interacting with people from all over the world. If you are one of those people whose immune system is not their strongest point, having some vitamin C (like Ole to boost your immunity) is a great way to keep you going strong for five days. If ever you get sick, however, take some medicine for your colds. (And please don’t pass it on to other people like sneezing on them, or sneezing into your hands and shaking hands with people right after. Eww. That’s disgusting.)

5. Water

It could come in plastic bottles that you can buy from the area or you can bring a durable water with you. You need the water to last you the whole day because you’re going to be active, you’re going to sweat, and you’re going to lose water in your body, so you have to keep yourself hydrated. A word of warning though: don’t drink from the tap. We cannot assure you that the tap water there is going to agree with your stomach.

6. Throat lozenges

Take some throat lozenges with you like Strepsils. You might get a sore throat from talking to lots of people, plus coughs and colds from being in enclosed areas with thousands of people.

7. Hand sanitizer

Or a packet of wet wipes (moist towelettes). You’ll need to make sure your hands are clean to prevent passing sicknesses and, in general, germs and other harmful elements to other people. (And because you probably sneezed into your hands.) Washrooms are usually quite far from where you are so you won’t get to clean your hands when the IRs are in the exhibition area, so to prevent the spread of germs and sicknesses, use sanitizers. And wet wipes.

8. Deodorant

Come on. It will be an event packed with people. Very excited, probably hyperactive, possibly screaming, and definitely pumped-up people. Pack them all together and what do you get? A LOT of sweaty folks. Don’t make this a horrifying experience for other people by unleashing the full fury of hair-raising bodily odors. So bring a deodorant, take a bath everyday, and put on a bit of light perfume. Not too strong, mind you. That would be just as bad.

9. Jacket, rainy-weather apparel, umbrellas

It’s rainy weather/monsoon season in Southeast Asia right now, and you’re probably going to be caught under the rain more than once outside the venue. Apart from that, it’s sure to get cold inside the exhibition area/venue. It would be cooler if you wear some really cool The V or QNET jackets!

10. Sunglasses

Weather is erratic. So if it doesn’t rain on VCON, it might get too sunny. Save yourself the trouble of squinting and not being able to see anything by bringing sunglasses. Apart from seeing better in the brightness of daylight, it makes you look cool.

11. [Comfortable] Shoes

Be sure you wear some thick socks and padded insoles to provide more comfort for your feet as you’ll be standing and walking a lot.

12. Ear plugs and eye mask

If you’re a light sleeper and easily awoken by lights and sounds, you’ll need these, especially because we will have share our rooms with other people.

13. IDs and other identification documents

Make sure you have your IR ID and other legal/valid identification cards with you. (It’s good to have copies of them too!) Calling cards and business cards are also welcome so you can exchange contact details with other people you meet. Also, make sure you remember your e-mail accounts, passwords, necessary pins, etc. This may sound funny, but if you tend to forget this information, please memorize it to avoid disappointment. If you forget your IR ID in the crowd of your happy and loud fellow IRs waiting to use a computer after you. Do your homework and learn your details by heart.

Take some antacids with you (for the stress and acute acid reflux) and medicine for diarrhea/bowel movement, because the food that agrees with you in your home country might not agree with you in Indonesia. Bring some ointments with you as well, such as Tigerbalm, White Flower, and all those things for headaches and nausea.

16. Radio

We know that where we’re going, not everybody speaks English. Or at least English that you can easily and effortlessly understand. So we devised a way for the V-Indonesia 2012 participants to understand what’s going on. You only have to bring a small FM transistor radio or have a phone with an FM radio capability. We will announce at the venue the various channels where we’ll transmit translations of our announcements and other communications, with one language per channel/frequency. Tune in to the language of your choice and voila! You would hear announcements in your native language.

17. Toilet/tissue paper

Bring a roll of tissue paper because it’s going to be a big sanitary issue there, especially for the ladies. Always be ready for emergencies. Make sure you have some toilet paper with you. (You can buy from the nearest store you could find.)

18. Some consideration…

Try to keep your time in the bathroom brief so your room mates will have time to get ready in the morning, too. Ladies, do your makeup and dry your hair outside the bathroom/washroom. Don’t hog it!

19. …and basic decency

As for the men (well this goes for the ladies too), keep your toilets clean. If YOU as an individual do not keep it clean, the next person who will come after you won’t keep it clean either. And it will go on until you, yourself, can’t use the toilets anymore.

20. A smile

This may sound cheesy but it’s one of the best things you can bring to V-Con.

And there you have it! Bring these items and your time in V-Con would be so much better for you. If anyone of you are V-Con veterans with some suggestions on how to make this a better list, head down to the comments and send us your suggestions.